After it's over
by TartanPhoenix
Summary: The war is over, and Harry won. The only question left is, where is Albus?


Disclaimer: As usual I don't own anything. All of the Harry Potter universe belongs to J.K. Rowling.

Rating: PG

_After it's over  
_  
She was a woman on a mission. Minerva McGonagall stopped to survey the grounds before her. The usually beautiful and tranquil Hogwarts grounds were now in ruins. Death hung in the air as the survivors and injured were carted back to the castle for treatment. Like many expected the final battle taken place at the school.  
It had been two years since the Trio graduated, and so many things had changed. Harry and Ginny were finally together, as was Hermione and Severus, after a little prodding from Albus. The tone of the school had changed. There wasn't as much laughter, the students couldn't laugh when every morning they received another letter from the Ministry, informing them of a family members death.  
Voldemort and his followers had attacked at dawn, hoping to surprise everyone, but he hadn't counted on the information Severus had passed along. The professors were prepared and the battle began. Harry had stood face to face with Voldemort, his two best friends and Albus by his side. The battle raged on for most of the day, but, in the end, the light won and Voldemort was gone.  
Minerva had been across the grounds when the battle ended, fighting both Malfoys. After dispatching them she made her way toward Harry. She reached him just as he fell to his knees from exhaustion, but after sending him to the hospital wing with Hermione, Minerva noticed Albus was nowhere to be seen. She immediately set off looking for him in a panic. He wouldn't have just left Harry.  
So here she stood, on a hill overlooking her precious grounds. She moved toward the lake, stopping every few yards to examine a body for signs of life. She was still too numb to react to the horrors she saw, but she knew it would come. People, friends and foe alike, were strewn about the grounds, most not even whole anymore. Minerva just kept moving; she had to find Albus. She came around the last tree and could see the lake.  
There was a person standing on the banks, overlooking the lake. She was too far to see his face, but she knew who it was. She ran forward, heedless of what was under her, and came to a stop only feet away. She moved toward him slowly and took in the sight of him.  
He looked so old and defeated. His proud shoulders were hunched under the strain of everything, and his robes were smoldering and torn. His hair and beard appeared to be badly scorched and dulled by the smoke, and he seemed to be favoring his right leg as he stood. She approached him cautiously, she didn't want to frighten him. "Albus.."  
His head whipped around and she saw his now grey eyes widen as he looked at her. He stood there watching her for a moment, almost as if he couldn't believe she was there. He was hobbling toward her even as he spoke. "Minerva, my god Minerva." He grabbed her around the waist and pulled her to him. "They told me you had died. I didn't know what I was going to do." It wasn't until she heard him speak, and his voice caught in his chest, that she realized he was crying.  
She couldn't take the sound of despair in his voice. "It's alright Albus, I'm here. I'm not going anywhere." She stroked his hair as he gripped her tighter, putting some of his weight of her. It broke her heart to see him in this much pain. "Everyone is safe. I'm safe Albus," a sob wracked his body as she said this. "Shh love, It's going to be alright." With these words the last of his strength seemed to leave him and, he fell to the ground. Minerva could feel his legs give way and did her best to soften his fall.  
She looked him over, and performed a few spells, trying to assess his injuries. "Albus you seem fine, but I'm going to take you back to the castle so Poppy can look you over. Can you," her words were cut off as Albus pulled her next to him and kissed her soundly. Even after forty years of marriage, his kiss could still excite her like nothing else. She willingly gave into it, running her hands through his smoke filled hair, and relishing in the familiar taste of him. They broke apart and she pushed him back against the grass. "Sleep now love, I've got you. Rest." She levitated Albus across the grounds and headed to the infirmary, oblivious to the eyes that followed their progress.  
The walls of the castle were lined with the injured and dying. Albus was placed in a bed next to Harry, who was still unconscious, and Minerva pulled up a chair to wait. It wasn't until Poppy said he would be fine that Minerva allowed the tears to fall. Minerva fell asleep in her chair that evening, and when she awoke the early next morning, she felt a hand stroking her hair.  
She lifted her head and looked directly into a pair of pale blue eyes. Albus had been cleaned up, and now his hair was shorter than it had been, even in her school days. The haunted look that had occupied his eyes for the better part of the last three years was gone. Instead, the twinkle had returned as he looked at her. "I'm sorry I scared you yesterday tabby. I had been told you were gone, and then you appeared through the mist. So much death; I just couldn't take yours as well. Can you ever forgive me."  
Minerva looked down at the man who had captured her heart and just shook her head. "There is nothing to forgive Albus; I was just as worried about you. Everyone else was accounted for but you were nowhere to be found. I'm just glad we're both safe and together." He looked her over and smiled, "So am I my dear, so am I." He lifted his wand from the night stand and pointed it toward her. "My dear you are a mess." A cleaning spell later Minerva felt better than she had in some time.  
Albus slowly stood up and extended his hand toward her. She took it, and looked confused, as he led her toward the window. "Come my dear, the sun is about to rise and I don't want to miss it." Minerva laid her head against his shoulder as his arm went around her waist, and they watched the sun rise over their new world, together.


End file.
